1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for allowing hands-free operation of a mobile terminal using a wireless communication link. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technique for allowing hands-free operation of a mobile telephone in a vehicle utilizing a low-power wireless communication link, such as the Bluetooth System, to connect the mobile telephone to the hands-free device disposed within the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, in order to allow the hands-free operation of a mobile telephone in a vehicle, it is been necessary to physically place the mobile telephone in some sort of cradle which electrically connects the hands-free device to the mobile telephone. This creates difficulties in that the telephone user must extract the mobile telephone from his or her briefcase or pocket or handbag and place the mobile telephone in the cradle of the hands-free device in order to operate the mobile telephone.
Because of the difficulties noted above, at present, hands-free devices are not widely used and accordingly, most drivers of vehicles operate their mobile telephones as handheld devices. It has been written that the distraction caused by operating a handheld mobile telephone is conservatively estimated as causing 150,000 traffic accidents each year in the United States. In view of this, is been written that 35 state legislatures are considering laws that would curb handheld mobile telephone use while driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Furthermore, other countries have started to pass laws prohibiting the use of handheld mobile telephones while driving.
The latest generation of mobile telephones are being equipped with low-power wireless communication devices, such as those of the Bluetooth System, which enable them to communicate over short distances, for example, 10 meters, with other similarly equipped electronic devices.
Using this technology, the Parrot Company announced that they had developed a wireless arrangement which would allow hands-free operation of a mobile device in a vehicle utilizing the Bluetooth System. While the Parrot arrangement is an improvement over the use of a cradle type hands-free device, its operation appears to be limited to three mobile telephones according to Parrot""s brief announcement.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for connecting a hands-free unit of a system to a mobile terminal of a user which, upon an ignition switch being turned on, automatically transmits a first paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a first category of users. Upon the wireless communications unit of the system receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of the least one user of the first category of users, the system wirelessly connects the hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal. Alternatively, upon the wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to the first paging signal within a first predetermined period of time, the wireless communications unit automatically transmits a second paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a second category of users and upon the wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of the at least one user of a second category of users in response to the second paging signal, wirelessly connecting the hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal. Further alternatively, upon the wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to the second paging signal within a second predetermined period of time, the system awaits a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of at least one user of a third category of users and upon receiving a signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of the at least one user of a third category of users, wirelessly connecting the hands-free unit to the mobile terminal of the at least one user of a third category of users.